Variable-throw key for calculators



Feb. 1925 1,525,978

E. J. BRANDT VARIABLE THROW KEY FOR CALCULATORS Filed May 8, 191 9 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 1O, 1 9 Z5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC E.

EDWARD J'. BRANDT, 0F WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN. ASSIGNOB. TO BRANDT AUTO- MATIG CASHIER COMPANY, WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN.

VARIABLE-THROW KEY FOR. CALCULATORS.

Application filed May 8,

To (Ill whom it mug concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BRANDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at .lVatertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of \Viseonsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable- Throw Keys for Calculators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to improvements in a. variable throw operating mechanism, and although particularly adapted for use in connection with calculating machines, cashiers or registers, is capable of use in any field where such a mechanism is found to be desirable.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism embodying a plurality of keys with differently formed actuating portions, the keys when actuated being adapted to cooperate with suitable operating means to move said means variable distances, the extent of movement of the operating means depending upon the formation of the actuating portion of the key that has been depressed. The actuating keys preferably have cam engaging portions of variable widths and adapted when shifted to engage and move an operating means, the length of movement of the operating means being dependent upon the width of the cam portion of a key that has been actuated to control the mechanism with which the operating means is connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an actuating key with a cam engaging portion having a gentle or slight curve to impart to the operating means with which it is associated upon the actuation of the key an easy start and a continued gentle movement during the entire stroke of the key. thus eliminating any shock or sudden blow incident to the operation of the older types of keys wherein said keys are formed with wedge shaped engaging portions.

In a more specific embodiment the invention comprises a plurality of calculators or indicating elements, each designating the respective numbers of various denominations of money required, and associated keys having variable cam portions for actuating suitable operatin means connected with the indicators, whereby upon a single stroke of a key the indicator of a certain denomina- 1919. Serial No. 295,521.

tion may be moved a number of digits if the total is such as to require a plural actuation of-a particular denomination indicator. It is to be understood that by plural actuation it is meantthat a given indicator may be moved more than one digit forward upon a single stroke of the operating key that is formed with a cam portion of a sufficient width to impart to the operating means of an indicator a movement that will actuate the indicator in plural. In carrying out the 1nvention the cam portions of the keys are of different widths relative to each other, and if the cam or cams of a key are relatively narrow, then these cams when depressed move the operating means only a sufiicient distance to cause the operating means to move the indicator one digit but on the other hand, if a key having a relatively broad cam is depressed then the length of movement imparted to the operating means is sufiicient to move the indicator two or more digits, this of course, depending upon the width of the key depressed.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the invention as being applied to a wage adder or calculator, but it will of course be understood that this disclosure is only for the purpose of illustration and that the variable cam mechanism forming a salient feature of the invention can be used wherever such a structure is desirable. especially in the art of cashier's, registers or similar machines.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal'sectional view.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation with parts in section.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detail views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, the numeral 1 designates a casing having a bottom 2 which may be of any conventional formation and formed with the appropriately marked sight openings 3 through which the totals of the indicators or adding wheels 4 and 5 mounted upon the shaft 5 are visible.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention I have shown the indicating mechanism as consisting of adding wheels 4 and 5, these wheels being arranged in sets of which the wheel 4 is known as the primary wheel and the wheel the secondary wheel.

The casing is marked adjacent each sight opening with a numeral designating the denomination of the bill that the respective indicators are totaling, the present machine having indicators for one dollar bills, two

and twenty dollar bills,

matter of fact usually are, in this event the casing would be suitably marked adjacent mechanism that may be operated by the opera-ting means forming this invention and which will be presently described. The registering mechanism herein shown is the subject matter of my application filed April 19, 1919, Serial No. 291,208.

Each set of indicators is providednvith its operating means, and a description of one particular operating means and its associated actuating mechanism will be dey a sight opening to indicate the 'denon'iina- \scribed, as it is believed that this will suffice '15. The registering tion that a certain set of adding wheels is totalizing. The adding wheels or indicators 4 and 5 are shown as being loosely mounted upon the shaft 5, and their sides rest against the friction pads 4 that are composed of leather or any other suitable material and secured to the web 6 keyed to the shaft and adapted to rotate therewith. The peripheral portions of the adding wheels are formed with ratchet teeth 6 and each addingwheel has an outstanding flange portion 7 upon which are placed nu- 25- merals ranging from 00 to 99,- a set of wheels being therefore capable of indicating throu h the sight opening any number up to an including 9999.

The adding wheels are maintained in frictional relation with the pads 4 by means of the spiders 9 thatare fastened to the shaft and carrying in the widened head ortions thereof staggeredly arranged oppos1tely disposed spring pressed plung- 1 ers 10 contacting with the sides of the adding wheels 4 and 5 and forcing the same into frictional contact with the friction pads 4' secured to the disk. As before stated, the indicator 4 of each'set is known as the primary indicator, while the indicator 5 is the secondary indicator. The indicator 4 is actuated in a step by step movement by a mechanism which will be later described and to carry over from the primary wheel to the secondary wheel after the primary wheel has made a revolution, any suitable construction may be used, but for the purpose of illustration the structure I have shown consists of the pivoted pawl 12 having an elongated slot receiving the pivot pin 12' and provided with an upstanding part 13 which is disposed in the path of and adapted to be engaged by the lug 14 on the primary wheel, which forces the. ratchet forward one step and correspondingly moves the secondary wheel forward one full number upon each revolution of the primary wheel. After the secondary wheel has been shifted by the pawl the same is returned to its normal position by the spring 15, it being understood that the pawl is normally forced upwardly toward the axis of the secondary wheel by the spring mechanism herein shown and described 1s merely for the purfor all. The primary wheel 5 is moved forwardly by the movable operating rod 16 located in the bottom of the casing and con vided with a slightly offsetrounded head portion 20 that isengaged and shifted by the key clams in a manner which will-later be described.. The operating mechanism is positioned below the fixed ledge in the casing and the rod 16 has intermediate its ends an upstanding j pawl 20 cooperatin with the ratchet teethon the primary whee 5 to move the primary wheel upon the actuation of the operating rod 16. The rod 16 passes through a suitable guide 21 extending upwardly from a base 22 positioned beneath the axis of the indicating wheels,

arid the pawl or dog 20 is normally maintained in contact with the ratchet teeth of the primary wheel by the tension of the ratchet teeth on the primary wheel 5 to be moved forward, moving the primary wheel one or more digits forward, depending of course upon the extent of movement or throw imparted to the rod 16, which throw must be variable if the adding wheel is to be capable of being moved a single digit, or a plurality of digits upon a single movement of the operating means. .VVhen the rod 1.6 is moved by the depression of the key the spring 21 will be placed under tension so that when the key is released the spring will return the rod to its normal inoperative position.

To provide a variable throw for the operating means a plurality .of keys 23 are employed having the usual finger caps 24 disposed exteriorly of the casing and adapt: ed to bear various total amounts which it is intended shall be ultimately indicated in its fractional currency denominations by the different sets of indicators v4 and 5.

the five dollar indicator.

The keys are normally maintained in the position disclosed in Figure 1 by the springs 24; coiled around a portion of each key having one end engaging a suitable shoulder on the key and its other end seated upon a ledge 25 fixed to the casing. Each key has a movable bar portion 26 located below the ledge 25 usually carryinga plurality of cams of variable widths, the formation of the cams being such asto move the proper fractional currency denomination indicators the required steps whether singular or plural to indicate a total in fractional currency denominations equal to the denomination indicated on the key when the cams cooperate with the flaps 18 upon the actuation of the keys. The finger pieces 24 of the keys, as before stated, each bear thereon various total amounts which it is intended shall be ultimately indicated in its fractional currency denomination, and for example I have designated the key A as hearing on its cap the numeral 89 to be divided by the machine and indicated as four twenty dollar bi11s, one five dollar bill and four one dollar bills, which will require the plural operation of the one and twenty dollar indicators and a single operation of To this end the movable bar 26 carries a plurality of cams A, B and C, the cams A and B being relatively wide, or as a matter of fact approximately four times as wide as the cam C. For the purpose of illustration the twenty dollar cam A, as well as the one dollar cam B is divided by the vertical lines a, Z), c and d, the width of each of these cams to the first line a being sufficient to move the pivoted flaps 18 a distance that will move the operating rods 16 a suflicient length to impart to the primary wheels 5 a movement of one full digit, it being obvious that as the key is depressed the twenty dollar indicator will be moved four steps by the wide cam A after the flap has ridden entirely across this cam, while the one dollar indicator will likewise be moved four steps by the cam B cooperating with its flap 18, which cam is of a width equal to the width of the cam A. The cam C is relatively narrow and the movement of the key will cause this cam to engage its flap 17 moving the flap only a short distance about its pivot until the rounded head portion thereof leaves the influence of the curved surface of the cam riding out of contact with the same and the continued movement of the key only causes the flap 17 to ride up the straight side of the cam C, at which time the one dollar and twenty -dollar cams A and B are continuing to exerta driving influence upon their flaps 17 due to the long cam surface of each of what I claim is:

these cams. As the flap 17 engages the twenty dollar cam A upon its depression, when the rounded head reaches the line a. the operating rod 16 has been moved sutliciently to more the primary indicator one digit, the continued movement-of the cam until the flap l7 coincides with the line 1) serving to move the rod sutiiciently to impart a two digit movement to the primary wheel and this continues until the rounded end of the flap 17 has reached or is passing beyond the influence of the lowest end of the cam, atwhich time the primary wheel has been shifted four full digits.

It will be understood that the flaps 17 extend entirely across the machine, one flap cooperating with all of the twenty dollar indicators, another with the ten dollar indicators, etc.., so that upon the operation of the various keys the movable bar portions 26 thereof all carry differently formed cams so that the shifting of one key will move the flaps 17 of the different denomination indicators a greater or a less distance than the shifting of another key Which will cause the operation of a denomination indicator in plural if the total requires this. or if the operation of the denomination indicator is only required in the singular, then the cam of the selected key is relatively narrow and shifts its flap a distance sufficient to move the indicator a single step. The variable cams are preferably integral with their movable ledge 26, and are formed to operate the flaps 17 a distance sufficient to move its indicator from one to four digits, this depending upon the width of the cam. The cams have gentle or slightly curved engaging port-ions cooperating with the flap 17 so that when any one of the cams is brought into operation the flap will be given a gentle and easy start, and its movement will be one of this character throughout the stroke of the operating key, eliminating any sudden shock or blow incident to the operation of the older wedge shaped operating portions on the keys.

In the specification and drawings I have described the invention as being embodied in a wage adder, but it will be understood that the variable cams and their associated operating mechanisms constitute the subject matter of this application, and T wish it to be distinctly understood that the invention is intended for use in any field where such a structure is found desirable.

Having thus described my invention,

' 1. A machine of the character described comprisingan indicator, a flap pivotally connected to the machine and having an enlarged rounded upper end, means connecting the flap and indicator, and means adapted to engage the rounded upper end of the flap for operating the same.

2. A machine of the character described comprising an indicator, :1 flap pivotally ing the flap and indicator, and a cam adapted to engage the rounded end of the flap for operating the same.

3. A machine of comprising an indicator, 'a flap p-ivotally connected to the machine and having an en- 1O larged rounded upper end, means connecting the flap and indicator, and a cam adapted to engage the rounded end of the flap for operating the same, the engaging portion of the cam being inwardly curved from its lower end towards the upper end to cooperate with the rounded upper end of the flap to give a smooth steady movement to the flap upon the movement of the cam.

4. A machine of the character described comprising-an indicator, a flap, said flap having its upper edge rounded to form an enlargement and its lower edge formed into an eye-portion, means connecting the flap the character described and indicator, means passing through the eye portion for-pivotally connecting the flap, and means adapted to engage the enlargement on the upper edge to operate the. flap.

A machine of the character describedcomprising an indicator, a flap, said flap having its upper edge rounded to form an enlargement, its lower edge formed into an' connecting the flap to the machine, means connected to the intermediate eye and engaging the indicator, and means adapted to engage the enlargement on the.upp'er edge of the flap to swing the same upon itsplvot. 1. In testimony whereof Ih'ereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD J. BRANDT. Witnesses: 1

O. Ql-Iann, GERTRUDE SCHATZ. 

